1185: Yoritomofs forces, under the command of Minamoto no Yoshitsune
(¹`o, 1159-89), finally defeat the Taira and he gains control of the
country.

1192: Yoritomo is given the title of seii tai shogun (ªÎå«R) by
Emperor Go-Toba (ã¹HVc, 1180-1239).

Statue of Minamoto no Yoritomo

@@@Yoritomofs reasons for choosing Kamakura as
his permanent base are believed to be, first, that the area had had a
connection with the Minamoto family from the time of Yoriyoshi. Secondly,
the strategic location of this region, surrounded as it is by hills on
three sides and the ocean on the south, provided for defense against
attack from the outside and for the control of the warriors in the east.
For the next 150 years, Kamakura thrived as the political center of the
military.@@@In 1192, Yoritomo became seii tai shogun, a title that
translates literally as gbarbarian-subduing generalissimo.h As such, one
of his important tasks was to construct the city. He moved the Hachimangu
Shrine from present-day Zaimokuza to its present site.@@@The first of
the government offices was the Samurai-dokoro (), Board of Retainers,
set up in 1180 to discipline and control the vassals. Next came the
Kumonjo (öâ), Public Documents Office, which later, in 1184, was absorbed
into the Mandokoro (­), Administrative Board, to deal with general
government matters, finance, and management of the city of Kamakura. A
third office, also in 1184, was the Monchujo (â), Board of Inquiry, to
hear and review claims and law suits.

Former site of Shochojuin Temple

@@@In Kamakura, the mansions belonging to
Yoritomo's trusted and leading retainers were strategically located around
the city. Yoritomo also refurbished Sugimotodera Temple and Egara Tenjin
Shrine, and built such celebrated temples as Shochojuin (·õ@) and
Yofukuji (i).

Feud between two brothers: Yoritomo and Yoshitsune

@@@In the
course of stabilizing his government, however, the long-simmering feud
between Yoritomo and his younger brother, Yoshitsune, finally erupted.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune was manipulated by Go-Shirakawa Hoo (ãÍ@¤, 1127-92) who was
highly displeased with the military government for having become too
powerful, Yoshitsune accepted a high position at court without first
notifying Yoritomo in Kamakura. Such acceptance of high rank in court
posed a danger to the newly-formed Kamakura government, because Yoritomofs
first priority was unity created under his own command.@@@After
Minamoto Yoshitsune destroyed the Taira in 1185, he tried to return to Kamakura and
plead his innocence, but was blocked at Koshigoe (z). Yoshitsune then
submitted a series of oaths stating his complete loyalty to Yoritomo, but
on the advice of Kajiwara Kagetoki (´i, ?-1200), all were disregarded.
(Kagetokifs statements were taken as slander by many influential vassals
who were sympathetic to Yoshitsune, and Kagetoki was later year ousted
from the government). Yoshitsune sent a letter to Oe no Hiromoto (å]L³,
1148-1225) while he was staying in Koshigoe, a letter that was to be his
last message and is now referred to as Koshigoe-jo (zó), the Letter of
Koshigoe.@@@With all of his pleas now rejected, Yoshitsune was forced
to return to Kyoto. Backed into a corner, he then received a decree from
Emperor Go-Shirakawa to conquer Yoritomo and rose against him in 1185.
Yoritomo, in response, dispatched a large army to Kyoto, and Yoshitsune
was forced to flee yet again. But before he arrived in Hiraizumi(½ò, in
present-day Iwate Prefecture), he had to part from Shizuka Gozen (ÃäO,
?-?), his mistress. She had followed him but was captured at Mt. Yoshino
(gìR) in Nara Prefecture and sent to Kamakura.@@@There, within the
grounds of Hachimangu Shrine, in the presence of Yoritomo and Masako,
Shizuka bravely performed a dance, defiantly singing a song expressing her
love for Yoshitsune. Later, Yoshitsune took refuge with the Fujiwara in
Hiraizumi. This did not mean safety, however. In 1189 he and his followers
were attacked and killed there by Fujiwara no Yasuhira (¡´×t, 1155-89),
who had been pressured by Yoritomo to carry out this act.

Sanetomofs unfulfilled dream and end of Yoritomofs direct
lineage

@@@In spite of these circumstances, Sanetomo had the
impressive temple complex of Daijiji (å, now only memorial stone) in
Juniso (\ñ) built in 1212. Expanding his dreams further, Sanetomo ordered
the construction of a ship large enough to sail to China. The ship,
however, could not be floated due to the shallowness of the water at
Yuigahama.@@@At court, Sanetomo sought to rise from one high rank to
another, and in 1218 finally attained the post of Udaijin (Eåb), Minister
of the Right. His life, however, like that of his predecessor, Yoriie, was
ill-fated. On a snowy evening sometime in January 1219, as Sanetomo was
leaving the grounds of the Hachiman Shrine after attending a ceremony to
express his gratitude for promotion to the position of Minister of the
Right, he was set upon by his nephew Kugyo (öÅ, 1200-19) and murdered.
Kugyo, in turn, was killed soon after by order of Yoshitoki. Who exactly
masterminded the entire affair, however, is still unknown.@@@Direct
lineage from Yoritomo thus ended with the third succession. What the
visitor here in Kamakura can now see is a memorial stone for the repose of
Sanetomofs soul, along with one for his mother, Masako, at Jufukuji
Temple.

Jokyu disturbance; Imperial rebellion

@@@Masako soon became a nun
and was known as the gAma Shogunh (ò«R), literally, Nun Shogun. She then
had no choice but to adopt Fujiwara no Yoritsune (¡´o, 1218-56), who was
only two years old and a remote relative of the Minamoto, as the fourth
shogun. After that, one nominal shogun followed another: the fifth,
Fujiwara no Yoritsugu (¡´k, 1239-56), the sixth, Munetaka Shinno (@¸e¤,
1242-74), the seventh, Koreyasuo (ÒN¤, 1264-1326), the eighth, Hisaaki
Shinno (v¾e¤, 1276-1328), and the ninth, Morikuni Shinno (çMe¤, 1301-33).
Most were powerless and under the complete control of the Hojo regents.
Some were forced to retire, and some were even sent back to
Kyoto.@@@In 1221, in Kyoto the retired Emperor Go-Toba and supporters
of the imperial cause attempted to overthrow the Kamakura government. In
response to this attempt, known as Jokyu no Ran (³vÌ), the Jokyu
Disturbance, Masako and her son, Yoshitoki, united the vassals to fight
against the courtfs forces, and within a month claimed victory. Masako had
successfully evoked loyalty among the retainers, it is said, by reminding
them of their immense obligations to Yoritomo.@@@The Kamakura
government strengthened its guard against the court. Under Yoshitoki, it
established the office of shogunal deputy, Rokuhara Tandai (Zg Tè), in
Kyoto to keep an eye on the court and assigned Hojo Yasutoki (kð×,
1183-1242), the eldest son of Yoshitoki, to this post.

Consolidation under Hojo regency

@@@Next, Yasutoki, upon the death
of his father Yoshitoki in 1224, became the third shogunal regent. Under
his leadership, the Kamakura government reached the height of its
prosperity due to his success in introducing new measures that
consolidated government power. In 1226, he established the Hyojoshu (]èO),
Council of State. Eleven (later fifteen) men from various clans
participated in it, deciding important personnel, political and judicial
matters. Its main purpose was to avoid the hitherto erroneous and
dictatorial leadership of the Hojo family. In 1232, Yasutoki proclaimed
the Kanto Goseibai Shikimoku (Öä¬s®Ú), the first codification of Warrior
House Law, which consisted of 51 articles that spelled out the rights of
the warrior class and clarified the duties and responsibilities of
officials.@@@Yasutoki also transferred the location of the bakufu
twice: moving it first from Okura (å ), where Yoritomo had established it,
to Utsunomiya-zushi (Fs{Òq) close to the second torii of Hachimangu Shrine
and named it Utsunomiya-zushi bakufu (Fs{Òq{). In 1236 it was moved again
to a neighboring site and renamed Wakamiya-oji bakufu (á{åH{).

Site of Wakaejima Port, the oldest
artficial harbor that remains today

Hojo Tokiyori: Road to Hojo dictatorship

@@@The fourth regent,
Hojo Tsunetoki (kðo, 1224-46), a grandson of Yasutoki, died young. The
fifth regent was Hojo Tokiyori (kð, 1227-63), younger brother of
Tsunetoki. He became regent in 1246, and in the following year eliminated
the Miura family, who had been powerful vassals from the time Yoritomo had
established the government. Tokiyori replaced the shogun, Fujiwara no
Yoritsugu, with Prince Munetaka (@¸e¤, 1242-74). From that time on, the
seat of the Kamakura shogunate came to be occupied by a succession of
princes from Kyoto.

Kenchoji Temple

@@@Tokiyori had a reputation for being frugal
and concerned with fairness in ruling the people. He had Kenchoji Temple
(·) built. Although he handed over his position to Hojo Nagatoki (kð·,
1229-64, the sixth regent) in 1256, he continued to wield substantial
power. He died in 1263 and was buried in Meigetsuin (¾@) in
Kita-Kamakura.

Hojo Tokimune and Mongol invasions

@@@After Nagatoki came Masamura
(­º, 1205-73), then Hojo Tokimune (kð@, 1251-84) who became the eighth
shogunal regent in 1268. Tokimune twice faced Mongol invasions, once in
1274 and again in 1281. The first was launched because the Kamakura
government had rejected the Mongol demand for submission. In response,
Khubilai (or Kublai) Khan sent his forces to Hakozaki Bay ( èp) near
Hakata in northern Kyushu. Fortunately, a storm did great damage to the
invaders' ships, forcing them to retreat.@@@An angered Khan later sent
larger forces to Hakata Bay in 1281 because the Kamakura government not
only again refused his demand for submission, but also beheaded his
envoys. The government was driven into a corner in the face of the Khanfs
large forces, but again a typhoon arose and forced the Mongol fleet to
retreat.@@@Victory at first seemed to produce a certain amount of
national pride and to increase the prestige of the Hojo. Yet in reality
the result was exactly the reverse. Since the war had been fought against
foreign invaders, the government could not sufficiently reward its
retainers for their sacrifices in the face of national emergency.
Dissatisfaction prevailed among the retainers, damaging the popularity of
the Hojo, and their power began to decline.

Engakuji Temple

@@@It was in such a situation that Tokimune,
being an ardent follower of Zen Buddhism (T@), invited Mugaku Sogen (³wc³,
1226-86), a celebrated priest from Sung (v) dynasty China, and in 1283 had
Engakuji Temple (~o) built to console the souls of those who had died in
the battles against the Mongols. Tokimune died in 1284 and was buried
within the grounds of the same temple.

Sketch of the town, Kamakura

After Minamoto no Yoritomofs
establishment@@@In October 1180, Yoritomo entered Kamakura with
his followers. When he had his mansion built in Okura, his major retainers
followed suit, their estates standing along the hillsides for defense
against attacks from outside. Gradually merchants and manufacturers set
their dwellings in the area near the sea to take advantage of sea
transportation to Wakaejima Port.@@@Four borders bounded Kamakura:
Mutsura (ZY, the old pronunciation of Mutsuura), Kotsubo (¬Ø),
Inamuragasaki (îºªè) and Yamanouchi (RÌà) to the east, south, west and
north, respectively. Inside these boundaries was the city itself.

Gokurakujizaka Pass

Daibutsuzaka Pass

Asahinakiridoshi Pass

Kewaizaka Pass

(Former) Kobukurozaka
Pass

Kamegayatsuzaka
Pass

Nagoe Pass

@@@People came and went via
nana kuchi (µû), seven entrances, or nana kiridoshi (µØÊµ), seven passes.
The former were Gokurakuji-kuchi (or -guchi) (Éyû), Daibutsuzaka-kuchi
(å§âû), Kewaizaka-kuchi (»Ïâû), Kobukurozaka-kuchi (Câû), Mutsura-kuchi
(corresponding to Asahina-kiridoshi), Nagoe-kuchi (¼zû), and
Kotsubo-kuchi. The seven passes included Kamegayatsu-zaka (TPJâ) in
addition to the above-named entrances with the exception of
Kotsubo-kuchi.@@@The more commercial activities increased, the more
people flowed into Kamakura, bringing about prosperity but also disorder
and confusion. In 1251 the government designated seven commercial
districts: Omachi (å¬); Komachi (¬¬); Komemachi (Ä¬); the area around the
crossroads of Kamegayatsu and Okura; the area at the top of Kewaizaka; and
Wakae, where the government banned the tethering of cows on streets and
ordered that the streets be kept clean.@@@In 1265, the bakufu
designated nine licensed commercial areas. Kamegayatsu and Kewaizaka were
combined into Musashiojishita ( åHº), Wakae was replaced by Sujikaebashi
(ØÖ´), and Iomachi (¬) was added.@@@As the number of legal and
illegal residents increased, Kamakura seemed on the verge of chaos. City
control was under the jurisdiction of the Mandokoro.@@@In 1245, the
bakufu prohibited the following acts: hunting with hawks within Kamakura;
making a path without permission; extending walls towards streets; and
extending onefs house over the ditch in front of it.@@@In 1247, the
bakufu road-checked wandering warriors, banishing them from Kamakura to
maintain law and order.@@@In 1261, retainers were ordered to refrain
from building luxurious homes and were encouraged to repair bridges in the
city and sweep clean the streets in front of their own houses. Abandonment
of children and corpses of the diseased was also prohibited.

Visitorsf views of
Kamakura@@@People from the western part of Japan viewed Kamakura
favorably. The Kaidoki (C¹L), the diary of a journey from Kyoto to
Kamakura written in the 1220s, records that the sight of hundreds of boats
at anchor here made it look like Otsu (åÃ) in Omi Province (ß], in
present-day Shiga Prefecture), and that the rows of thousands of houses
resembled those of Oyodo (å) in Osaka. The diary further notes that
Kamakura has the sea and hills, and is blessed with water and forests. The
city was neither too big nor too small; streets were linked everywhere,
and Kamakura was as prosperous as Kyoto.@@@Another travel diary, the
Tokan Kiko (ÖIs) refers to the magnificence of such structures as the
residence of the shogun, Yofukuji Temple, and Hachimangu Shrine, as well
as the Great Buddha in Hase.

Decline of the Kamakura government

@@@After Tokimune, the post of
regent was successively occupied by Hojo Sadatoki (kðå, 1271-1311, the
ninth regent); Hojo Morotoki (kðt, 1275?-1311, the tenth regent); Hojo
Munenori (kð@é, 1259-1312, the eleventh regent); Hojo Hirotoki (kðà,
1279-1315, the twelfth regent); Hojo Mototoki (kðî, ?-1333, the
thirteenth regent); Hojo Takatoki (kð, 1303-33, the fourteenth regent);
Hojo Sadaaki (kðå°, 1278-1333, the fifteenth regent) and the sixteenth and
last regent, Akamatsu Moritoki (Ô¼ç, 1295-1333).@@@During the rule of
Sadatoki, the Adachi family (ÀB) was destroyed in 1285, which set the
stage for the beginning of a dictatorship by the head of the Hojo clan.
The patrimonial head of the main branch of the Hojo, called tokuso (¾@),
held more power than did the regents.@@@Under the regency of Sadatoki,
the bakufu issued a decree, Einin no Tokuseirei (imÌ¿­ß), in 1297. It is
thought to have been a well-meaning attempt on the part of the government
to help retainers out of economic difficulties, but it did not work
effectively.@@@Takatoki, after retiring from the regency, wielded
substantial control of the bakufu as Tokuso. He was said to be responsible
for the corruption of the regime, for he is reputed to have spent his time
engaging in dancing, dogfights and other such diversions, leaving the
affairs of state in the hands of his men. Given these circumstances, the
court in Kyoto, which had been watching for a chance to regain power, took
action and, succeeded in 1333.

@@@The next leading figure in the decisive
downfall of the bakufu was Nitta Yoshisada (Vc`å, 1301-38). Immediately
after Takauji's defection, Yoshisada, who had been dissatisfied with the
Hojo, also took up arms at Kozuke (ãì, in present-day Gumma Prefecture)
against the bakufu. Dividing his forces into three groups, he attacked
Kamakura--the first attack via Yamanouchi, the second via Kewaizaka Pass,
and the third via Cape Inamuragasaki. On the 21st May 1333, Yoshisada's
army at Inamuragasaki fought a fierce battle against the Kamakura forces,
inflicting many casualties. The next day, as a result of this victory,
Hojo Takatoki and his retainers, who numbered more than 700, committed
suicide at Toshoji Temple (). This meant both the end of Hojo rule and
the fall of Kamakura.@@(The end of this part)